


How To Have A Birthday On Your Own

by Hino



Category: Pyre (Video Game)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-19
Updated: 2017-11-19
Packaged: 2019-02-04 07:56:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12766515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hino/pseuds/Hino
Summary: It's Lendel's birthday, and Manley's missing.





	How To Have A Birthday On Your Own

**Author's Note:**

> It's Lendel's birthday today.

The mood that morning in Wakingwood had been strange. Lendel opened his eyes slowly, body exhausted as the sun crept over the trees, cutting through the canopy and softly lighting up the little clearing he called a home. The moss bed, with its soft woven-leaf blanket, was warm and comforting, letting him wake from his dream slowly. It was a luxury that Lendel wasn’t about to take for granted, seeing how often Manley chased him out of bed to go scavenge for food, or get in their blackwagon, or even just to write a letter to the Sahrian Union.

Speaking of Manley, it was awfully quiet this morning. Lendel lazily turned, half-closed eyes settling on the other side of the bed in search of the Sap, only to find an empty space, and a cold segment of moss. It wasn’t like Saps were warm to begin with, but Manley did at least leave the bed somewhat affected by his presence. With a gentle sigh and a frown, Lendel sat up and rubbed at his eyes, looking around the place. There was no sign of Manley anywhere, not even a few stray papers or some sign that he’d tried to cook food and failed miserably. There was absolutely nothing at all.

Lendel flopped back onto the bed and pulled the covers over his head. “Happy birthday to me...”

 

The former Constable took his sweet time getting out of bed. After all, it was comfortable, and there was no rush. The Rites were long since gone, and although he still refused to believe it entirely, he’d accepted it as a phase, like when the Stars faded between Liberations. He was merely waiting patiently for them to burn with a new fury. When he did however pull himself out of bed, it was late morning, just on the cusp of brunch.

Manley still hadn’t returned, and for once, Lendel found himself concerned. As he shuffled over to the cabinet where they stored their meager food supplies, and their cooking utensils, he found himself wondering where in the Downside that blasted fool had gotten to. As much as he hated to admit it, Lendel enjoyed Manley’s company, and having him gone without so much as a note, well it got on the Nomad’s nerves. It continued to bother him as he lit a flame and greased a pan up with something he’d bought from the Bog Crones, cracking an egg from one of the imported chickens that had been flushed down the Sclorian some years ago and cared for by the Harps.

His egg was cooked and plated, and yet Manley still hadn’t shown. It wouldn’t be the first birthday that Lendel had spent alone, far from it, but the fact that he’d had company on every day previous but today, well that just stung. A scowl settled on his face as he took a seat on the log they used as a chair, now chiselled and covered with soft pillows. Manley had needed to be absent for it, and Lendel had called Tamitha, Almer, and Barker in to help make everything perfect before the Sap got back. It’d been worth it though, even if Tamitha had needed to be bribed with explanations of how Harp ambushes were thwarted on the Bloodborder years previous.

“They could do with more seasoning...” Lendel mumbled, pouring a mix of Downside spices onto the eggs in some hope to make it less bland. It didn’t do much, but it tasted slightly better, and that was an accomplishment. It was of the more luxurious birthday breakfasts Lendel had eaten, purely for the fact that he was frugal in the Commonwealth, and most days he was scheduled to work on his birthday, leaving him with little time to indulge in the tradition of buying a cake, or relaxing. It didn’t help that he wasn’t popular either, which meant that he’d never had a birthday party, or had anyone offer him gifts. Still, it wasn’t something Lendel could dwell on, after all, doing that down here only led to a faster demonification, and judging by the dull ache on the sides of his head, his was already on its way.

 

With his meal finished and dishes washed in some water Manley had brought back from the Sclorian a few days before, Lendel found himself without much to do. He’d read and categorized all the books he had access to, and they didn’t have enough Sol to go out and buy some new stock. He certainly could write something, but who would he write to? It’s not like any of his family back home would remember him.

He eventually decided to write a letter to Hedwyn. It wasn’t like they were friends, in fact Lendel hated him, but he ran a restaurant that specialized in getting meals to the Downside, and today was the best day to try and order something, even if it cost almost all of Lendel’s personal savings. With a grumble at how much delivery would cost, Lendel noted down the recipe and the ingredients Hedwyn would need to make his family’s traditional cake. He stuffed the letter, and some Sol into a package and called a Messenger Imp down, handing it the package before watching it fly away. As the flapping of its little wings faded away, silence returned, making Lendel sigh as he looked around the empty clearing he called home. He’d often wished Manley would just leave but now he was gone, it was rather lonesome. It was barely midday, and Lendel was already getting uneasy.

 

In an attempt to occupy himself, Lendel tended to menial chores he’d forgotten to do. He raked the loose leaves into a pile so that they could make a fire in the night, the wooden sticks he’d needed to shave the bark off in order to prepare them for their makeshift farm were dealt with, and the out-of-control grass that was encroaching on their home had been trimmed back. Even the new furniture set that was meant to be constructed weeks ago had been put together, although that had involved a lot of swearing on Lendel’s half, and he’d taken a break to pray to the Scribes in hopes they would grant him the patience to not break the table into pieces and in fact finish it.

By the time he’d slipped the last leg of the table in place, the sun had begun to set. Manley still hadn’t returned, the Messenger Imp hadn’t brought his order, and his birthday had been as lonely as all the others. It wasn’t like Hedwyn to post his meals late, and it also wasn’t a habit for Manley to stay out late. Most of the times he came home rather early due to being harassed by some stray Exile, or because he’d overstayed his welcome at the remains of Bialanthius. Lendel felt concern in his chest, and then he cursed, because he wasn’t meant to feel concern. He was still angry at himself for having grown so attached to the Sap. He was meant to be looking for ways to escape the Downside, not growing fond of it and its inhabitants.

Lost in his cursing and general anger at himself and his situation, Lendel didn’t notice the soft creak of the blackwagon as it landed nearby, nor did he see the figure who had disembarked, not until they stopped next to him and ruffled his hair. 

“Talking to ourselves, are we?” The voice had silenced Lendel’s muttering, making him look up. Smiling down at him was the Sap himself, Manley Tinderstauf, lips curled in a grin and entire being surrounded by an air of glee. It made Lendel feel nauseous.

“Where have you been?” he asked, getting to his feet. He was still shorter than Manley, which didn’t help his temper at all, having to look up at the Sap’s sickly sweet grin. “You’ve been gone the entire day, and I’ve been left to clean everything.”

Manley held up his hands defensively as Lendel smoothed out his hair in some attempt to make it look okay. “Sorry! Sorry!” A soft laugh left his mouth which only made Lendel’s scowl deepen. “I was tending to something important. Come with me, would you?”

“I’m waiting on a delivery-” Lendel’s protest was cut off as Manley scooped him up, holding him in the most ungraceful way he could; bridal style. The Nomad screeched and flailed while Manley only laughed, stepping into the blackwagon and closing the door behind him. He dropped Lendel into a waiting chair and headed towards the wagon’s controls while the former Constable merely grumbled the list of offenses Manley had just committed.

 

The swaying of the blackwagon had stopped as it touched down after its brief flight. Lendel had only managed to get to his second count of “unwarranted assault of a Constable” when Manley stepped out from the control room and grabbed Lendel’s hand. “Come on.”

“Would you stop dragging me around?” Lendel tried to dig his feet in, but Manley was taller than him and somehow, he was stronger too. It was akin to a child trying to resist their mother, slowing their march by digging in their heels, but overall being forced to move. “It’s my birthday, and I don’t want to spend it-”

 

He stopped, because Manley had too. Somewhere in his whining and protest they’d left the blackwagon and stepped down into the lush greenery of the Downside Prairie. Before them both was a table with a cake, and a small box that Lendel immediately recognized as Hedwyn’s catering service.

“We intercepted your Imp,” Manley said with a laugh. “Thought you would enjoy eating with company.”

And company it was. They were all standing in an anticipating silence, but Lendel could see Darbenfor and Vispaleth, the former Exiles who participated in the Rites alongside him. There was also Peyford and Xaxiana, Manley’s Nomad and Harp, standing alongside Avrec and Sir Tidemont, his Savage and Wyrm. Beside them was Tamitha, Barker, Almer, and even Ignarius, although the Demon seemed as if he’d only come because he owed Manley a favour, and less for the fact he enjoyed Lendel’s existence.

“You...” Lendel found himself speechless for once, and he followed along wordlessly as Manley guided him to the table where the cake was. It was the same colours as the Accusers Raiments, vibrant yellow with brown frosting. An odd combination for food, but it still looked appetizing. 

Manley took the knife off the table and pressed it into Lendel’s hands, motioning for him to cut the cake. They had no candles, but considering Manley was a Sap, and had been handling the cake most of the day, none of them bothered to speak up about it. “Some friends mentioned it was your birthday today,” he said, watching as Lendel hesitated before cutting the cake, most likely making a wish. “So I thought we could all do something.”

Lendel stepped away and Manley finished cutting the slice, following the tradition of not touching the bottom of the cake, lest your wish not come true. The first plate was handed to Lendel, and the gesture encouraged everyone to step forward, voices loud as they broke their silence, clambering for cake and wishing Lendel a happy birthday, clapping a hand onto his shoulder or giving him a reassuring slap on the back. It stung when the Demons offered a congratulatory birthday slap but Lendel bit his lip and held back the tears, honestly flattered.

 

As the last plate was handed out, they all began to dig in, everyone voicing their compliments on how damn good the cake was. Tamitha merely grumbled that she could have made something better if she was given more time, to which Barker cackled.

“Aren’t we meant to sing a song or somethin’?” Ignarius asked, to which Almer shrugged. “S’pose you Cur folk celebrate differently.”

“We howl,” Almer answered, “But I don’t think the Constable will.”

Ignarius laughed, and Almer joined in, earning them both a look from Lendel, eyebrow raised in confusion. Manley placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed, bringing him back to the moment. “Is the cake good?” he asked. Lendel nodded, making Manley sigh in relief. “Thank the Scribes, I hoped it would be.”

“Thank you.” It was soft and almost missed in the ruckus of the party guests, but Manley could see the softest blush on Lendel’s cheeks. “For the party.”

Manley sighed, and looped an arm over Lendel’s shoulder. “You’re welcome, Lenny.”

“I take it back, I’m not thankful,” Lendel answered, causing Manley to throw his head back in a laugh.

**Author's Note:**

> Steps to having a birthday on your own  
> \- Don't.


End file.
